Automatic fire-alarm.



A. L. STEWART, L. O. HAWKINS & A. E. MOSHER. AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.25,1913v 1,128,614. Patented Jan.5,1915.

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AMES L. STEWART, LEE 0. HAWKINS, AND AUDLEY E. MOSI-IER, OF IVIADERA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-ALARM.

Application filed October 25, 1913.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, AMES L. STEWART, LEE 0. HAWKINS, and AUDLEY E. MOSI-IER, citizens of the United States, residing at Madera, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Alarms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire alarms and the primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will automatically indicate and announce to the occupants of a structure that a fire is in progress therein.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved contact arm or circuit completing member for the device and a still further object of the invention resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very eificient and useful in operation.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a plan view of a device constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the circuit-completing member with a portion thereof in section.

In describing our invention, we shall refer to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 indicates a base plate or the like formed of wood or other non-conducting material, from the one face of which projects the spaced vertical plate members 2 and extending through openings in the latter plates 2, in spaced relation to one another, are the wires 3 and 4. These wires are arranged horizontally between the plates '2 and the end of one wire is connected with one pole of a battery 5,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 797,314.

signaling device and we have provided an improved means for completing the circuit between the battery and alarm.

The means for completing the circuit consists of a member composed of a strip of metal 8, which has removably secured on opposite faces of the same adjacent one end thereof, a pair of angularly bent arms 9, the free ends of which terminate in the same plane as the free end of the strip 8 in spaced relation to the latter. Said free ends of the strips 8 and 9 are slotted, as shown at 10, the slots terminating in enlargements, whereby to receive the wire 4 therein.

The opposite end of the central strip 8 has riveted or otherwise secured thereto. in a plane at right angles to the same, an arm 10, the lower edge of which is sharpened to form substantially a knife edge. This arm projects on opposite sides of the strip 8 and the one projecting portion thereof is reduced, as shown at 11 and terminates in a hook 12. Secured to the upper edge of the base plate 1 is a supporting bracket or the like 13 which has a vertically extending projection 14 thereon. A strip of inflammable material, indicated as 15 is provided and engaged adjacent one end with the projection 14:. An opening is provided in the strip below the last mentioned end, with which is adapted to be engaged the hook 12 of the arm 10, thereby retaining this circuit-completing member in its raised position. The remaining portion of the inflammable strip 15 is slit and permitted to depend some distance below the base plate, the latter bein adapted for support on a wall or the like some distance above the floor of the structure.

When the device is properly set up for use, and the contacting member or circuit completing member is disposed to its inoperative position in engagement. with the inflammable strip, the circuit may not be com leted until the arm is disengaged from said inflammable strip. In the event of a fire, this inflammable strip will be burnt, thus permitting the contacting member to be disengaged therewith and as said contacting member drops downwardly, the same will contact with the other wire of the circuit to complete said circuit and cause the alarm to be sounded. The knife edge portion of the arm 10 contacts with the last mentioned Wire and this edge is so provided,

said contacting or circuit completing member is lowered to. its effective position, the

circuit will in all events be completed to sound the alarm.

From the foregoing description of the device, the operation thereof will be readily understood and it will be seen that we have provided an improved fire alarm which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very efficient and useful in operation.

While we have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform thefunctions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described this invention, what we claim is 1'. In an automatic alarm of the class described, a support, a pair of parallel horizontally disposed wires carried by said support and adapted" to constitute an electric circuit, a metallic bar pivotally mounted on one of said Wires in electrical contact therewith, an arm connected intermediate of its ends to the outer end of said bar, said arm extending in a plane at right angles tosaid bar, and an inflammable strip connected at one end to the support, the upper end of said arm being connected to said strip to normally maintain the lower end of said arm in spaced relation With the other of said wires. J

:2. In an automatic alarm, a support, a

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pair of horizontally disposed parallel Wires carried by said support to constitute an elec tric circuit, a bar pivotally connected at one end to one of said Wires in electrical contact therewith, an arm connected intermediate of its ends to the outer end of said bar and extending in a plane at right angles thereto, a hook mounted on the upper end of said support, and an inflammable strip engaged at its upper end with said hook, the upper end of said arm being hook-shaped for engagement with said strip to normally maintain the lower end of said arm in spaced relation with the other of said wires.

In an automatic fire alarm of the class described, a support, a pair of wires carried thereon adapted to constitute an electric cirarm in electrical contact with one of said wires, a projection removably secured to the outer end of said arm to form substantially a T-head thereon, the one portion of said projection being sharpened to form a knife edge and adapted for engagement with the other of said pair of Wires to complete the circuit between the '65 latter, the other portion of the projection on said arm being designed to form a hook, and an inflammable strip engaged with said hook and said support to normally retain said arm in its inoperative position. v

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

AMES L. STEWART; LEE 0. HAWKINS. AUDLEY E. MOSHER.

Witnesses:

J. H. STECKMAN, Chris. G. GILL.

Commissioner of Patents, 

